Embrace the Dark

17

When dinner finally ended, Auric kissed my forehead and gave me a warm smile. “I’m happy the Air God chose Erroh. He is a good man and I know he will treat you well.”

“Me too.” Somehow Dad knew exactly what to say to make me feel better about all this. “You know, I was a virgin too when I came here and—”

I quickly held up a hand and tried not to gag. “Please stop right there.”

Dad gave me a goofy grin. “All right. I just want you to know everything will be fine.”

He gave me a warm hug, and then shook Erroh’s hand, before going with the priests into the library, his favorite place.

Blair led us up a never ending spiral staircase, and even though Erroh and I were both in great shape, by the time we reached the top, we were both out of breath and needed a second to recover. Flying up here would have been so much easier.

It was worth it though once we stepped through the doorway onto the open-air platform at the top of the temple. Most of the clouds had disappeared, and from here all I could see was endless night sky, sparkling stars, and the thin sliver of the crescent moon. Oh, and the large bed waiting for us.

“Please let me know if you need anything else,” Blair said, before bowing and then heading back down the stairs.

Erroh met my eyes. "Finally, we’re alone.”

Chapter Nine

I

looked down at myself, suddenly nervous. I'd packed a light bag with a change of clothes and a silky tunic that would be more appropriate than my traveling clothes, but hadn’t changed into them yet. I'd expected to have more time to prepare somehow.

I sucked in a sharp breath. “I’m dusty.”

Erroh chuckled. “I can fix that.”

With the sweep of his hand, a breeze swirled around me and sent the dust flying. It also undid my bun, loosening my hair, and we both laughed as my curls went wild.

He moved close and tried to smooth my hair down with a grin. “Sorry! I’m still learning.”

I pressed my hands to his cheeks. There was no reason for me to be nervous, not when I was here with my best friend. “You’re perfect.”

With his hands still tangled in my hair, we moved together for a kiss. It started out sweet, but quickly turned deeper, as the magnitude of the moment settled upon us. After so many years wishing we could be together but fearing it was impossible, tonight we would finally be bound together as mates.

Erroh broke off the kiss to lead me to the large bed, where he began unlacing his shirt, then shrugged it off as I stared in amazement at his sculpted chest. I’d seem him shirtless before, and it had been like looking upon a dessert I wasn’t allowed to eat.

Tonight I could devour him.

I began removing my own shirt as Erroh watched, and his eyes flew straight to my hands as they moved down my chest. The weight of his gaze excited me and made me want to keep going. When my shirt was completely undone, I left it on so it gaped in the front without exposing my breasts.

We both pulled off our boots next, and when I bent down, my breasts spilled out of my shirt. When I rose, the shirt slid off my shoulders to the floor behind me, leaving me exposed. Erroh's sharp breath told me he liked the sight. I’d never been naked in front of a man before, but I wasn’t shy either, and the look on Erroh’s face encouraged me to keep going.

He put his thumbs in the waistband of his pants and tugged down. I mimicked him, both of us kicking off our trousers simultaneously. And there it was. My first glimpse of the completely naked male form. I'd seen men fighting, sparring, swimming, but never this part of them.

His hard c**k pointed at me as if it knew the direction it wanted him to move, and he stepped close, sliding his arms around my waist. I had to touch him too. I couldn't help myself. Lifting my hands, I placed one on his hard chest and the other on his neck as I stared at his lips, willing him to take the lead. His calloused hands slid down my hips while he pressed his lips to mine, and I gasped against him as his tongue pushed into my mouth. My body acted of its own accord, arching toward him, eager for his naked body to press against mine.

"Erroh," I breathed when he stopped kissing me to trail his lips down my neck. “I’m sure you know this, but I’ve never done this before. Have you?”

He paused and then looked up at me. “Only a few times. When you made it clear we couldn’t be together, I tried to use other women to forget you, but it never helped, not one bit. The only woman I’ve ever wanted is you.”

My cheeks flushed at that, and he pulled me back against him and resumed his exploration of my body with his tongue. I ran my hands down his body, then lost myself for a moment as his lips closed around my n****e. Sensations I’d never experienced before shot through my body, right to my core, and I sensed I was growing wet. His hands on my naked skin only increased my desire, as did the feel of his hard body under my fingertips. Years of looking but not touching had finally ended in this moment, and I couldn’t get enough. Neither could Erroh. He sucked on each of my breasts while stroking my body slowly, then we floated together toward the big bed. He set me down upon it, then spread my legs wide as he hovered over me. I thought it would happen, his c**k finally breaching me, but then his head dropped.